Nine Swords

[12:42] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: Hey folks. So I've got next semester's schedule straightened out and picked up some salty or savory or umame snack. What's going on?
[12:43] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: Lynette looks around, letting out an irritated breath. "...and Dennison and Lily have disappeared somewhere. Great."
[12:43] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Not for anything serious, I'm sure. He'd have to take his mask off."
[12:44] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: She gives Yuri a tired smile. "Glad you got that straightened out."
[12:44] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "I -- " She looks up, taking note of the newest person at the bridge. "Um, hi...."
[12:44] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Thanks. It's definitely umame."
[12:44] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Maybe they got office duty for asking evacuation help from Greary."
[12:45] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Doom of dooms!"
[12:46] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Hello!"
[12:46] [#SARP] [Tiya]: *Steps closer and waves keeping the gun on her back safe strapped away. "Hi, I heard from friends there was going to be meeting out this way." pauses for breath then smiles "I'm Tiya, its really nice to meet you all."
[12:46] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "That's a distinct possibility," Lynette says slowly, eying the woman who's just arrived. "Hi," she repeats. "Are you here to help, or just passing through?"
[12:46] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "I'm Lynn. This is Yuri, and Laurell."
[12:47] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "These friends of yours..." she clears her throat and says carefully, "How many swords do they hold?"
[12:48] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Last time I checked 9," gives grin
[12:48] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Oh snap! She has the occulted knowledge! Welcome!"
[12:48] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: Lynette relaxes visibly. "Good. I wouldn't know what to do if they picked up a tenth."
[12:49] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "I tried to change one of them, but that's on hold for now."
[12:49] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "We may need to come up with a new secret question some day. Welcome aboard."
[12:49] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Well, your timing is good. We're about to get a ride out to the wreckage of an Orochi cargo ship; it has to do with something we're investigating."
[12:49] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Way things have been lately thinking start another set of 9 to deal with things. Just came from sandy beaches... except no water to be found. Just sand and cultists causing so much trouble."
[12:50] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Do you mind if we ask what your speciality is, Tiya?"
[12:50] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Orochi, yeah was visiting their website. Interesting group. Do we know much about what is on this ship?"
[12:50] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Ah, so you're fresh from Egypt then."
[12:50] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "'My eyes were blinded by your radiance, yet I still see!' sorts of fellows?"
[12:51] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "I hate those guys."
[12:51] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Well, I learned in Sol how to use this Assault Rifle to help hit a group and with the grenade launcher can put down fire to burn with some power to heal."
[12:52] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Sorry, meant fresh as in recently from Egypt."
[12:52] [#SARP] [Tiya]: *nods and shakes boots* "I even brought some with me as proof... yeah, proof." pulls off boot and pours sand out.
[12:53] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "I'd be very happy to tag along, I can adjust some grenades to work more for healing group like us if we run into fight?"
[12:53] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "That's proof, all right," she comments. "Let's check with our hosts about when that chopper is supposed to get here."
[12:53] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "And that'd be very useful."
[12:53] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Let me just change some gear, been working to make some better tricks for help."
[12:57] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Hmm..... MMhhh..." (Rubs chin whilst poring over the tactical map)
[12:57] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "The chopper will be here shortly," Blake says tonelessly. "Please make sure your colleagues come through on the promised aid."
[12:58] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "We'll make sure of that," Lynette says levelly
[12:59] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: (aside, to Lynette) "That task should be trivial, given the DHS/Army task force got what they asked for."
[13:00] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: Lynette nods grimly. Even as they speak, the gunship in Orochi colors touches down
[13:00] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Looks like that ship is spread out pretty far. Think anyone is alive?"
[13:00] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Not that we saw the last time we were there."
[13:01] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Given the ten years between its disappearance and reappearance... I wouldn't bet they'd be anyone you want to talk to."
[13:01] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Yeah."
[13:02] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Smells as bad as last time, too."
[13:02] [#SARP] [Tiya]: Good we got boat to leave on. Oh wow that doesn't look good
[13:03] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "So what are we looking for this time?"
[13:03] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Surprisingly sturdy remaining piece of dock."
[13:03] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "We're looking for the ship's bridge, if we can find it, or the captain's cabin."
[13:03] [#SARP] [Tiya]: Whats with all the static? My hair is starting to stand up
[13:05] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Well that's the front of it."
[13:05] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Perhaps some of them have incorporated features of the electric eel. Or harnessing bioelectrical amplifiers."
[13:06] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Hopefully. Better than than integrating Orochi cybertech."
[13:07] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Yes, the greatest pursuers of bioelectrical theory were the Soviets..."
[13:08] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Hold up, a second..."
[13:16] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Look at those twisters in the sky."
[13:16] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Yeah, this'd be a lousy place to get stuck."
[13:16] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Look at that weird rock on the side of the wreck."
[13:17] [#SARP] [Tiya]: Everyone okay?
[13:18] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Nnngh. Think so."
[13:18] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: Yeah
[13:18] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "That's another chopper down. They're not gonna be happy."
[13:18] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "The pilots didn't make it. Hope they don't blame us.. well something brought us down and killed them."
[13:18] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "They keep losing them because of us."
[13:18] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "What is that thing?!"
[13:18] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "...yeah. Yeah, they do."
[13:19] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "That thing is fucking ugly."
[13:19] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "I don't see away around it."
[13:19] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "That thing killed the pilots.
[13:19] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "No, me neither."
[13:19] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "That must be what's taking the choppers down."
[13:19] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "It's... indescribable. Big and gray, a tentacular mass of..."
[13:19] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "The least we can do is take it out."
[13:20] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Help me get it off... Yuri, you okay?"
[13:20] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "...bit of a glass cannon, wasn't it?"
[13:20] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Lovecraft was right."
[13:20] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Yuri, I thought it landed on you!"
[13:21] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "More like Krieg..."
[13:21] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "There you go, got it off you. It's fine."
[13:21] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "His books gave me nightmares as a kid."
[13:21] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Wait, I think I see something."
[13:21] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Can you guys help me shift its tentacles to one side?"
[13:21] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Navigation charts? Manifest?"
[13:22] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Oh, alright. Heave!"
[13:22] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Looks like a waterproof pouch..."
[13:22] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: Laurell puts on rubber gloves
[13:22] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "I'm glad got rubber gloves.. this is just..."
[13:22] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: Lynette groans and heaves, pressing her shoulders against the tentacles and heaving
[13:23] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Forceps! Scalpel! Pull!"
[13:23] [#SARP] [Tiya]: *helps as she can pulling and shifting it over*
[13:23] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Doctor, I think a chainsaw maybe more helpful with this patient..."
[13:23] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "I have to start carrying a sword again."
[13:24] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: It takes nearly ten minutes of straining and cursing, but eventually they manage to shift it enough to the side to recover the pouch. It's a large, clear waterproof bag with what appear to be folded navigational charts and a leather-bound journal
13:25] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "The prize?"
[13:25] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "We should bring that back someplace dry and safe to look at it."
[13:26] [#SARP] [Tiya]: *Glances at heli behind us* "Maybe hide it so the guards don't take it as 'property' or 'evidence'; we will never see it again."
[13:26] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: Lynette nods.
[13:27] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "I guess they scrounged up another one."
[13:31] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Just need to clean the water out of my gun."
[13:32] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "As soon as Tiya has her weapon sorted out. we should check out the warehouse by the airport."
[13:38] [#SARP] [Tiya]: *returns her rifle to her back and rises* "Should we take that gear back someplace to look over?
[13:39] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "We can take a look at it at the warehouse."
[13:39] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "The warehouse. Then let's get off this rock, go sit someplace and go over what we've found."
[13:39] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "I'll follow you. I need to sneak in." She glances around. "Um, never mind."
[13:39] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "That work for everyone?"
[13:40] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Sounds good to me"
[13:40] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Can two ride on your bike?"
[13:40] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Let's go."
[13:40] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Okay. I could use a good jog."
[13:42] [#SARP] [Tiya]: .I wonder what they are up to in that airport?"
[13:43] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "I need to sneak in, see what's up with those black helicopters after we check out what we found."
[13:43] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Less than used to be."
[13:43] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Less than used to be."
[13:44] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "For the time being, anyway."
[13:45] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "This place is overrun..."
[13:46] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "But no draugs here."
[13:46] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Yeah, it is."
[13:50] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Look for any.... I dunno, shipping manifests, or anything with corporate logos on it..."
[13:51] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Like purple sailboats maybe?"
[13:51] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "That's seems oddly specific, but yeah." she says with a laugh
[13:51] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Over here."
[13:51] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "With lion heads."
[13:52] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "That's a Phoenician symbol!"
[13:52] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Phoenicians... here?"
[13:52] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Why are they working here?!"
[13:52] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "What the hell would they have been doing here, especially before the Fog?"
[13:53] [#SARP] [Tiya]: *takes out notebook and makes note of the shipping numbers and any other info*
[13:54] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: Lynette laughs bitterly. "Next we'll find out that the crates are full of 'machine parts'."
[13:54] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Ancient machine parts."
[13:54] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "That'd be even worse."
[13:55] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Or communal goods."
[13:55] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Do you think they are helping the Group?"
[13:55] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: There are about a dozen or so crates that specifically have the Phoenician crest on them, although it's a safe bet that there are more throughout the warehouse. None of them are labeled with their contents, aside from the label FRAGILE
[13:56] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Could be. They are your go to hired muscle for shady operations."
[13:56] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: Lynette shrugs. "They also don't seem to care much who gets hurt, as long as they get paid."
[13:56] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Though Orochi had a lot of people here on their own."
[13:58] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "I don't think the Eight Heads necessarily keep each other informed as to what they're up to."
[13:59] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Of course not. That creates needless bureaucracy, right?"
[13:59] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Or means divided funding," she says sourly
[13:59] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: She looks at Yuri, and suggests, "I think we've found what we came here for. Unless the Sailors are keeping a nuke somewhere in this warehouse."
[14:00] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "I need to track down their passcode to get past security into the airport.
I can report back with what I find inside it if you want?"
[14:01] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "We gonna open any of these breakable, breakable things?"
[14:01] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "If we open them, that may tip them off that we found their stuff."
[14:01] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Maybe better off tracking it."
[14:02] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "This place is swarming with zombies. I don't think we have to worry about the crates leaving anytime soon."
[14:02] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "We can come back in force. But let's leave for now."
[14:02] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "That's for sure. Good idea."
[14:04] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Let's meet back up in London in an hour. Get some food and go over what we've found. That sound good to everyone?"
[14:04] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "I'm going to head over into the airport to check out what they are up to."
[14:04] [#SARP] [*Yuriksha]: "Agreed."
[14:04] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Watch yourself, then."
[14:04] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "If you don't see me there, send help. I'll meet you all in an hour, I hope."
[14:04] [#SARP] [Margin-Call]: "Heh, will do."
[14:05] [#SARP] [*Saunabath]: "Alright, let's do that."
[14:05] [#SARP] [Tiya]: "Safe travels."

Um.

Yeah, so no SARP this Saturday. Again.

I know, believe me. I'm very sorry. But...

As many of you know, my wife and I are expecting a daughter this December. This, after several years of trying and doctor's visits and failed attempts.

Without a doubt, this is a good thing! But also, especially in the last trimester, this means that we're having to focus a lot of our time off on preparations. And unfortunately, some of the preparations we made last weekend have had to spill over into this coming one.

And, frankly, the Saturday after that looks no more promising.

So... to head this off at the pass, I'm gonna have to warn you: I don't expect to be able to run SARP this month. And availability going into November and December is likely to be spotty.

I'm sorry. Hopefully, things will be able to stabilize once Kaitlyn is crawling around on the outside!

Absolutely no need to apologize HP - have been in your situation myself so understand fully.

Home life comes first ... so just keep us updated when you can and fingers crossed for a happy Christmas present!

Yup! Definitely happy for you to be focusing on that. Thanks for the heads-up.

As this event has not been run for such a long time - I am removing it from our active calendar events into the archive